Size: 7 1/4"h x 7 1/2"w x 4"d
A figure from Russian folklore, Baba Yaga embodies the Wild Woman. If encountered, this scary crazy old lady will either eat you, put you to work or give you advice. If she gives you advice, the outcome will be better than you could imagine. If she puts you to work, the work will be hard but you will do better than you ever dreamed possible. If she eats you, well, better luck in the next life! In story and song, she is a Russian witch, best known for her dealings with Vasalisa. Around the mortar are images from one of these tales. She rides her mortar, using her pestle as a rudder and sweeps away her tracks with a broom as she travels the night sky.
"May peace and good seasons go with you." This was the traditional invocation to Frey, consort of Freya. This gentle phallic god, much like Celtic Kernunnos, is associated with stag, bull, boar and stallion. Ithyphallic image. [Sweden, 11th cent. CE] Green/bronze colored Ganges Clay.
This Norse Goddess sometimes rode upon the boar, Hildisvini, probably a metaphorical image of sacred sexuality designed to bring crop fertility. [19th century art image] Blue/bronze colored Gypsumstone.
Powerful, wise, beautiful
Goddess of love? Yes, but so much more. No demure and bashful Aphrodite rising from the foam, Freya is power and mystery in Goddess form. In every aspect of life or death Freya is there.
Freya is the sister of Freyr, daughter of sea god Njord. In her sacred sex goddess role she was closely involved in love, courtship and marriage rituals, while the procession of her statue by wagon from place to place was credited with the gift of prophecy, sexual potency and easing childbirth. Her fertility aspect was emphasized by various legends of promiscuity in Icelandic Sagas, especially with Loki.
A duty shared with Odin was sovereignty over death, with the fallen heroes being divided between them.
Resin Plus red/black finish
Size: 13"h x 7"w x 6"d
Freya, Norse Goddess of Love, Fertility, Cats and Seeresses, is the most beautiful of the Norse Gods. Queen of the Vanir and Commander of the Valkyries, she flies using her hawk wing cloak and protects love and relationships. Freya possesses a chariot drawn by two giant cats and has a love of jewelry and ornament. Her most precious possession is the necklace Brisingamen which she won from the dwarves. In ancient times, gold was often referred to as Freya's tears.
Size: 7"h x 3 3/4"w x 2 1/2"d
The Anglo-Saxon Goddess of Abundance and Prosperity, Habondia is descended from a Germanic Goddess of the Earth. She ensured the abundance of crops and herds for her devotees. Her name is written in Theban script on the banner. Call on her to promote growth and abundance in your life.
This type or carving is named for an ax that was found in Mammen, Norway. It was popular around the year 1000 AD. It is about 100 years older than the Urnes style. The design on this hammer shows a depiction of Thor in a traditional pose of holding his beard with the two goats that pull his chariot.
This prankster god was always causing trouble, yet paradoxically his name means "luck." It often requires Loki's destabilizing energy of strife and perceived misfortune to retune our life to harmony. A Sacred Source exclusive. [from a carved stone furnace-shield] Red/black Ganges clay. Hook on back.
Giver of victory, Tyr was Odin's second son, the bravest of the gods. Our Tuesday is named for Tyr, who fought only wars of justice. Tyr sacrificed a hand defeating and chaining Fenrir, the great Wolf of Chaos, when he threatened Asgaard. This piece depicts the god with battle-ax, and replicates a bronze original dated circa 200 BCE, from Zealand in Denmark. Rust bronze colored Gypsumstone.
To Odin, wisdom and magick are all-important. Odin sacrificed an eye to obtain wisdom, hanged himself for nine days to learn the magical use of runes and suffered death in the underworld. This image shows him wise-bearded and one-eyed. His stalwart stance reminds us to be strong and seek wisdom. [Linby, Sweden, 7th cent. CE] Black/gold colored Ganges clay statue.
Odin was worshiped throughout disparate cultures and has conflicting legends ascribed to him. He appears in guises ranging from a hunched old man with one eye wearing a deep slouch hat to the "Allfather" of gods and men. Some legends have him as a mighty wizard and others as a mortal king who lead his people to their new homeland.
Though some today consider him the equivalent of Zeus or Jupiter in the Norse pantheon, the Romans actually equated him with Mercury.
Size: 7 3/4"h x 7"w x 1 3/4"d
"Odin" is known as the Norse All-Father. He sits astride his 8-legged horse, Sleipnir, who carries souls to the unseen realms. The spear named Gar, when thrown, would always return. Through ritual self-sacrifice, Odin discovered the Runes while hanging from the Yggdrasill, or world tree. A patron of warriors, he was skilled in magic and a master of primal forces. Known as the One-Eyed God, Odin sacrificed his eye to gain wisdom from the fountain of Mimir.
Known as the Trickster in the Norse pantheon, Loki is often causing all kinds of havoc. He then supplies a solution that generally creates even more confusion! The back of his chair displays his children by the Giantess Angrboda – The Fenerous Wolf, The World Serpent named Jormungand and his daughter the Goddess of Death Hel. Each image on the throne is taken from one of his many stories. Check out the one about what he does with a goat to distract a very angry Skadi.
Odin is known as the All Father, the leader of the Norse Gods. He governs War, Death, Poetry, the Arts and Wisdom. He gave one of his eyes to drink of the well of wisdom. His magical spear is named Gungnir. The ravens, named Hugin and Munin, are Thought and Memory. They fly the world during the day returning to tell Odin what they have witnessed. The throne depicts Odin hanging from the World Tree as a sacrifice. The runic inscription from the Havamal reads: “Take I up runes. I took up runes.”
Tyr is the God of War, Courage and Law. He’s best known for losing his right hand to the Fenerous Wolf. The wrist joint even now in Scandinavia is referred to as the “wolf joint.” On the back of his chair, called a Kubbestol and traditionally carved from a single log, is a line from an Icelandic rune poem: “Tyr God with one hand and leavings of the wolf and the prince of temples.”
Thor, the Thunderer, controlled weather during the brief growing season, hence he was the most important of the Norse gods. He holds his hammer Mjollnir, which created lightening and thunder. Originally a bull-god, Thor gave his name to Thursday. May his vitality make you strong! [Icelandic image, date unknown] Brass.
Size: 8"h x 2 3/4"w x 3 1/4"d
Thor, a Norse God, created thunder by striking his great hammer Mjollner. He protected the house of the Gods and humankind. The runes around the base are an invocation of Thor's protection and read: Thor's thunder strike and hallowed hold us with Mjollner's might. The scene on the back depicts a battle between Thor and Ior, the World Serpent. An ox head was used as bait, and the struggle became so intense that Thor's feet crashed through the bottom of the boat and he used the seabed for support.
These warrior maidens bore horns of sacred honey wine, symbolizing poetic inspiration and representing lunar and under-earth qualities of the sacred feminine. [Birka, Sweden, 6th cent. CE votive grave find] Green quartz colored Ganges Clay.
Size: 19"h x 9"w x 1 3/4"d
The Norse World Tree or Yggdrasil is depicted with Odin sacrificing himself as an initiation into the Mysteries as referenced in the Havamal. Above him Ratatosk, the squirrel ferries insults between Niddhogg the dragon, the force of destruction in the tree's roots and the Eagle who represents the highest spiritual light. The three Norns are seen as Past, Present and Future as they constantly pour healing waters on the tree's roots to heal the damage of Niddhogg. Below them sits Hel in the Underworld flanked by Asgard with its Rainbow Bridge and Jotunheim with Mimir's head.
